HR: 1105h
AN: ED52A-04
TI: STaRRS in Yellowstone: Addressing Challenges Facing Student-Teacher-Scientist Partnerships
AU: *Houseal, A
EM: anahouseal@gmail.com
AF: Science Education, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, USA
AU: Gallagher, R
EM: rgallagher14@gmail.com
AF: Ricks Center for Gifted Children, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA
AU: Fuhrmann, B
EM: Bob_Fuhrmann@nps.gov
AF: Division of Interpretation, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, WY, USA
AU: Sanford, R
EM: rsanford@illinois.edu
AF: Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
AB:
The literature outlines many challenges faced by Student-Teacher-Scientist Partnerships (STSPs) including cultural differences between the scientific research and education communities. For example, shared vocabulary terms with dissimilar definitions can create communication problems. Other issues include accuracy in data collection, meeting the needs of a very diverse group of partners, connecting students with research science in a meaningful way, and maintaining the infrastructure necessary to develop and maintain these partnerships. Additionally, evidence, other than anecdotal, of the success of these partnerships is limited, especially as school year and research cycles are often on different schedules or have very different goals. Students, Teachers, and Rangers & Research Scientists: Investigating Systems at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park (STaRRS) was an STSP developed to address some of these challenges, model some solutions within an STSP, and identify some possible outcomes for participating teachers and their students. Three strategies used to address some of these challenges that will be discussed briefly in this presentation include: (a) embedding the STSP in an already existing National Park Service environmental education program; (b) development of three types of research activities connecting teachers, students, and scientists to the research, and (c) a professional development (PD) model that included all partners in an on-going year-long process. Results from an accompanying research study will also be presented. Using a pretest-intervention-posttest design, this study revealed significant changes in attitude regarding science and scientists of participating STaRRS teachers. Student data gathered using a quasi-experimental pretest-intervention-posttest treatment and comparison group design also demonstrated significant changes in their attitudes and gains in earth science content knowledge.
DE: [0450] BIOGEOSCIENCES / Hydrothermal systems
DE: [0805] EDUCATION / Elementary and secondary education
DE: [0845] EDUCATION / Instructional tools
DE: [0850] EDUCATION / Geoscience education research
SC: Education and Human Resources (ED)
MN: 2010 Fall Meeting